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By default, Outpost sends Autoresponder emails from a shared Mailgun domain. Setting up a sending domain that you own (e.g., hello@mail.yourpublication.com) improves deliverability and shows your brand in the From field.
Autoresponder Sending Domain settings with default domain, custom domain field, and Setup Custom Domain button

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Prerequisites

  • A domain you own and can add DNS records to.
  • Access to your domain’s DNS settings (via your registrar or a DNS provider like Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.).

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Setup

1

Enter your sending domain

Go to Autoresponder Sending Domain in the left navigation. You’ll see your current default sending domain and a field for your own.Enter the domain you want to send from (e.g., mail.yourpublication.com).
Use a subdomain (mail., email., news.) rather than your root domain. Subdomains keep DNS cleaner and avoid conflicts with other services on the root.
2

Add DNS records

After clicking Setup Custom Domain, Outpost displays the DNS records you need to add. The verification page shows a table:
ColumnDescription
TypeThe DNS record type (CNAME, MX, TXT).
NameThe subdomain or record name to create.
ValueThe value to set for the record.
StatusVerified (checkmark) or pending (warning icon).
The records you add cover three purposes:
  • SPF — A TXT record at the root of your subdomain that authorizes Mailgun to send on your behalf.
  • DKIM — A TXT record at mailo._domainkey.yourdomain.com providing the cryptographic signature for email authentication.
  • MX — Two MX records (with priorities 10 and 20) that route bounce notifications back to Mailgun.
  • DMARC — A TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com. Recommended. DMARC tells receiving mail servers how to handle messages that fail SPF or DKIM checks; verification still passes without it but DMARC strengthens deliverability.
Use the Default tab when your DNS provider auto-appends your domain to record names, or the Advanced tab for fully-qualified record names. Click any value in the Name or Value column to copy it to your clipboard.
If you use Cloudflare, set the Proxy setting on the CNAME record to OFF (grey cloud, not orange). A proxied CNAME breaks email authentication. Other record types are not affected by Cloudflare’s proxy.
3

Verify DNS

After adding all records in your DNS provider, return to Outpost and watch the Status column. DNS propagation usually completes within a few minutes but can take up to 48 hours.Each record shows a checkmark when verified or a warning icon when still pending.
You have 24 hours from initial setup to complete DNS verification. If records are not verified within that window, the verification request expires and you receive an email notification. You can still complete setup after expiration — Outpost re-checks expired domains daily for up to one week.
4

Activate your sending domain

Once all DNS records show as verified, click Activate to start sending from your domain. A success message confirms the domain is active:
Success! Your custom sending domain is set up. Outpost will now start sending from this domain. You can leave this page now.
Open tracking and click tracking are enabled automatically on the new domain via Mailgun, so email analytics keep working without extra setup.To remove the sending domain later, click Remove custom sending domain.

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Verification statuses

StatusMeaning
PendingDNS records have been submitted but not yet verified. Outpost re-checks pending domains every few hours.
VerifiedAll DNS records pass. The domain is active and emails are sent from it.
ExpiredDNS records were not verified within 24 hours of setup. Outpost emails a notification and continues checking daily for up to one week. If records are corrected during that period, the domain is verified automatically.

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From address configuration

With a sending domain in place, configure your sender identity in Email Design Settings:
FieldDescription
Email From NameThe sender name recipients see (e.g., “The Daily Brief”).
Email From AddressThe email address recipients see (e.g., hello@mail.yourdomain.com).
Email From Physical AddressOptional physical address for CAN-SPAM compliance.

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Why a sending domain matters

  • Mailbox providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) recognize your domain as a known sender, which lifts inbox placement.
  • SPF and DKIM authentication passes, reducing spam classification.
  • Your sender reputation builds on your own domain rather than a shared one.
  • Members see your brand in the From field rather than a generic Mailgun address.
After activating your domain, send a test email to a personal Gmail or Outlook account and inspect the headers to confirm DKIM and SPF are passing. Send to a domain DIFFERENT from your sending domain. Sending to your domain from your domain is the toughest email to send; it’s the kind of thing that scammers try to do, so test on a personal account, not your work account.

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Free inbound email forwarding with Cloudflare

Most publishers want a notify@yoursite.com or newsletter@yoursite.com reply-to address but don’t want to pay for Google Workspace just to receive a few replies. Cloudflare Email Routing forwards inbound mail to your existing Gmail (or any inbox you already have) for free, and it pairs cleanly with the Outpost sending domain you set up above.
1

Move your domain's DNS to Cloudflare

Cloudflare hosts DNS for free, and you don’t have to transfer the domain itself away from your registrar — you just point your registrar at Cloudflare’s nameservers. Follow Cloudflare’s full DNS setup guide to add your domain and switch nameservers.
2

Set up your Outpost sending records on a subdomain

Use a subdomain like notify.example.com for the sending domain — see the Setup steps above. Keeping outbound on a subdomain leaves your root domain free for everyday email.
3

Enable Cloudflare Email Routing and add a forwarding rule

In Cloudflare, enable Email Routing for your domain and add a rule that forwards notify@example.com (or whichever address you want to receive replies at) to your personal Gmail. See Cloudflare’s Email Routing announcement and docs for the exact steps.
4

Configure Gmail to reply from the new address

In Gmail, set up Send mail as for the forwarded address. After verifying ownership, you can reply to forwarded messages from your custom address instead of your personal Gmail.
Set up two separate addresses — newsletter@example.com for newsletter sends, and notifications@example.com (or similar) for Outpost autoresponder and upsell emails. Reader filters often auto-sort newsletters into a folder, and your notification emails get buried with them if both come from the same address.
Once both addresses are forwarding, set the notifications address as the sending address in Outpost’s Email Settings, and set the newsletter address per newsletter in Ghost. Replies to either land in your Gmail inbox, and you can answer from the right address.

Email Design Settings

Configure From name, From address, and email appearance.

Integrations Overview

Outpost handles email delivery via Mailgun on your behalf.

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FAQ

No. Outpost works with a shared Mailgun domain by default. A sending domain you own is optional but recommended for better deliverability and branding.
Yes, but a subdomain (like mail.yourdomain.com) is cleaner. Using the root domain can conflict with other DNS records and services.
Usually a few minutes, though DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours depending on your provider. Outpost re-checks pending domains every few hours. If records are not verified within 24 hours, the status changes to expired and you receive an email — but Outpost continues checking daily for up to one week, so the domain can still verify automatically once records propagate. If verification is stuck, double-check your DNS records for typos and confirm any Cloudflare proxy on the CNAME is disabled.
Yes. Remove the current domain and set up a new one. Be aware that changing domains resets your sender reputation, so deliverability may dip temporarily.
Yes. Move your domain’s DNS to Cloudflare and use Cloudflare Email Routing to forward inbound mail (like notify@yoursite.com) to your existing Gmail for free, then configure Gmail’s Send mail as so you can reply from the custom address.